ton, "to hold as freely as his father held the same;" and to Richard de Halberge, who had married his daughter Agnes, he gave one bovate and a half of land. We learn from other documents* that John de Waterton acquired the messuage and lands at Walton and Cawthorne Park by marriage with Catherine, daughter and heiress of Thomas de Burge, of Walton. William Waterton married the daughter and heiress of Thomas Methley, of Methley, near Wakefield, by which marriage he obtained that lordship. Sir Hugh, his cousin, also married Ellen, the daughter of Thomas Mowbray, by which he became possessed of more extensive possessions in the Isle of Axholme. In the celebrated controversy between Sir Richard Scrope and Sir Robert Grosvenor, respecting their right to the coat of arms-azure a bend or, wherein many of the most eminent warriors of the age were examined, this noble knight was a witness on behalf of Scrope. His evidence was taken on the 10th of June, in the 9th year of Richard the Second, A. D. 1386, at the palace of John of Gant, King of Castile and Leon, in the Friars Carmelites at Plymouths. Previous to this transaction he had been knighted, and was retain ed in the service of John of Gantt. He had also the office of attorney to Henry Duke of Hereford, during the Duke's absence from England]]. In the year 1401 he was one of the custodes of the King's son, Thomas of Lancaster, 66 * Harleian MSS. 4680. † Grosvenor Roll, 4to. 1832. The Commissioners appointed to receive this evidence, by the Constable of England, were Lord Fitz Walter, Sir John Marmion, and Sir John Kintwode. Sir Hugh's evidence was as follows.Hugh Waterton, Esquier, p'ductr pr. la p'tie Mons. Richard Lescrope, jurez et examanez, dit qil ad vewe et conu le dit Mons. Richard estre armeez, et le chaump d'azur ove un bende d'or, et autres de son lynages armeez en mesmes les armes, ove differences en div'sez irages et jo'nes et unqs devant le debate comence navoit vewe ne conu la cont'arie mes q' les ditz armes ount totdys este au dit Mons. Richard et ces auncestris, come il ad oy pler de veux prs chivallers et esquires, et come coe et publicke vois et fame laboure en cest p'tie. Et coment de Mons. Robert Grovenour unqes ne vist ne orast pler qil portast navoit tielx armes dagur ove une bende dor tanq' la darrein irage en Escoce ove n're p le Roy. Regist. Ducis Johannis Lancastriæ. caster, then a minor, going on the King's service as Lieutenant to that country*. He was a Commissioner to negociate the marriage of the Prince of Wales with the daughter of the King of Denmarkt. And King Henry the Fourth placed such confidence in him that he was appointed Keeper of Birkhamstead, and Governors of his Majesty's two daughters, Joan and Philippa, as well as of their cousins the Earl of March, and his brother, who were to remain there until the King's return from Wales. In November, 1403, he was a Commissioner for deciding a question relative to the unjust detention of an hostage of the Count de Denice, late prisoner of Robert Hawley, Esq.‡ He was a member of the Privy Council: and, in the second year of Henry the Fourth, he was joined in commission with the Chancellor, the Bishops of Hereford and Rochester, to examine into the matter of a complaint made to the Council, concerning certain evil doers in the County of Gloster and Worcester, and in the Forest of Dean. At one period of his life, however, he seems to have fallen under the royal displeasure, and to have been dismissed from the Council Board; for we find that he was re-appointed in the eighth year of this reign. Sir Hugh Waterton died in July, 1409; when, on an inquisition having been taken, he was returned as seized of the Manor of Wroot, and two parts of the Manor of Epworth¶. He left two daughters, by Ellen his wife, daughter of Robert Mowbray, Esq. co-heiresses, Blanche, who was living in 1420, and was then the wife of Sir Robert Challons; and Elizabeth, who married John ap Harry, of Paston, in Herefordshire. Elizabeth ap Harry had two sons, Hugh who died without issue, and Richard who made proof of his age in the 9th of Henry the Sixth; but it appears, from the inquisition on the death of Katherine, wife of Sir Roger Leche, in the 8th of Henry the Fifth, that the said Katherine was widow of the deponent; and she is stated to *Fœdera, iv, pt. i, p. 16. || Sir H. Nicholas' Proceedings of the Privy Council. Testa de Neville, to have married first John Bromwich, and secondly Hugh Waterton. It is not mentioned who were her heirs. During the period in which Sir Hugh Waterton flourished, a Sir Robert Waterton was no less distinguished for the offices of trust which he held, and the confidence reposed in him by Henry the Fourth and his successors. He was appointed Master of the Horse*, and was one of the Commissioners† appointed to receive the homage of the Duke of Gueldres, and to treat with him as to his retainer to serve the King in his wars. He was also sent by the Privy Council abroad, to treat of the marriage between the eldest son of the King of the Romans and the King's eldest daughter, and that he should receive, while so occupied, £13. 4s. per days. Two years afterwards he was employed to raise men in the counties of York and Northumberland, for the purpose of crushing the rebellion of Henry Earl of Northumberland; and the King's writ was directed to him to arrest the person of Elizabeth, the the wife of Sir Henry Percy deceased, and to bring her to the King; and he was also impowered to settle such fines as were imposed on the persons engaged in the rebellion. In the ninth year of Henry the Fourth, he was commissioned to treat with the ambassadors of France, as to the prolongation of a truce; and in the following year, he received, as a compensation for his services, the Manor of Walwich Grange, within the Liberty of Tynedale¶, and all the lands and tenements in Fangfoss, in the county of York, which had belonged to the Earl of Northumberland. The King also granted to him in fee the Manor of Dubaldyke, and the advowson of the church of Gosberkerke, and other lands in Lincolnshire, which belonged to John Bushy, knight, who * In the Parliament held at Westminster, in the 1st of Henry the Fourth, the Duke of Aumerle having been accused by the Commissioners of having, among other offences, removed the officers of the Crown, and appointed his own favourites, he declared that he had removed no officer except Sir Robert Neville, in whose place he had appointed Robert de Waterton. Rot Pat. iii, 149. + Fœdera, iv, pt. i, p. 2. § Cot, MSS. Cleopa. F. iii, fol. 22. + Fœdera. Fœdera. Cal. Pat. 256. who was attainted; and which, together with Wath, in Yorkshire, he shortly after exchanged with the Warden of the Hospital of St. Nicholas, at Pomfret, for the Manor of Methley, in the county of York, and Merchdene in the county of Lancaster*. He was also Chief Steward of the Duchy of North Trent, and a Commissioner of Array for the West Riding of the county of York; and served, in the 12th of Henry the Fourth, the office of High Sheriff for the county of Lincoln; and in the 19th of the same king, he held that office for Yorkshire§. Henry the Fourth appointed him one of the execu tors to his last will and testament. In the following reign of Henry the Fifth, we find him employed as an Ambassador to France; and he was one of those persons who had the custody of the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon, when the King wrote to the Bishop of Durham and the Chancellor, desiring them to take safer measures for the securing these noblemen, especially of the Duke of Orleans, hinting that Waterton, in whose charge the Duke then was, might be seduced by Orleans' flatteries and promises, into neglect of his duty. In consequence of this letter, the Council ordered the Duke to be removed to the care of Nicholas Montgomery; and the Duke of Bourbon to be placed in Waterton's charge. In the 10th of Henry the Fifth, he had the charge of the Lord de Gaucost, who had been taken prisoner at the battle of Agincourt. In the reign of Henry the Sixth, he was a Commissioner to treat with the Scotch Ambassadors concerning the release of James, King of Scotland, and settle a final peace between the two kingdoms; and as he still retained his office of Constable of Pomfret Castle, the Sheriff of Yorkshire was directed to deliver to him one-third of the Scotch hostages. In this and the preceding reign he received out of the Exchequer, £276. 6s. 101d; having before been paid in advance the sum of £150¶. The following letter written from Methley, about five miles from Pomfret, occurrs in the Collection of Letters, illustrative of English History, published by Mr. now Sir Henry Ellis. "Ryght * Patent Rolls. § Drake. Rot. Scac. ii, 240.】 + Patent Rolls, iii, 630. Fœdera, vol. ix, p. 801. "Ryght excellent, high, and ryght myghty Prynce and most dreddeSoverengne Lorde, I recommende me to your highnes, as lowly as any symple trewe liege man and subgette, kan best thynke and devyse, thankyng all mighty God of your graciouse spede and right grete conquest, wythe the prosperite of your own persone, my lorde of Clarence, my lorde of Exetre, and all my lordes beying there in your worshipfull servyce, with all the remenaunt of your ryghte worshipfull oste. As I have conceyv'd by your ryght honorable letters wrytten at your cytee of Rowen, the 11th day of Marche, the whych I have receyved ryght late syth Pask, wythe other your lettres under your pryve seale, charging me to assaye by all the menesse that I kan, to exyte and styre sych as bene able gentlemen wythin the shyre and the contre that I dwell in, to kome ovyr to yowe at your wage, armyd and arayde as langys to thaeir estate, to do youre servyce; and for to certifie als well to yowe as to your Counsell of theire answere and theire will. The whyche your high comaundement I have bygunne to laboure upon, and sall trewely for thee dayly wyth all my myghte till I have perfourmed your forsayde comaundement. And upon Wedynesdaye next sall your Justice sitte at Yorke, upon the deliverance of the gaole there and a cession of the peese, also at whyche tyme I propose to speke with many of the gentyls there, and als soon aftyr as I may be answerd, I shall certifie as you have lyked to comaunde me wyth all the haste possible. Ryght excellent, high, and ryght myghty Prince and most dredde Sovereigne Lorde, I beseeche the blessed Trinity to spede yowe and keep yowe, and all your worshipfull oste, and send yowe soon into your wralme of Inglande, with a joyouse maryage and a good pees, for his mykill mercy. Written at your owne logge of Metheley, the xii day of April. Your trewe liege man and subjette, ROBT. WAT'TON." Sir Robert Waterton married Cecilie, daughter and heir of Mr. Robert Fleming, of Woodhall, in Methley, and had two sons, Robert and John, and one daughter Jane, who married Sir Pyonell Wells, knight. He died in the third of Henry the Sixth, A. D. 1424. At the time of his decease he was seized of the Manors of Methley Woodhall, in Methley, Barley and Hough5 X ton |